1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to absorbent products and articles of manufacture made therefrom. More particularly, the present invention relates to an absorbent product suitable for use in a disposable collection device for body waste products such as urine and fecal matter.
During extravehicular activity (EVA) by astronauts in space flight operations, it is desirable that there be a body waste collection device which may be worn inside the space suit of the astronaut and which will collect and retain at least about 900 cc of urine and fecal matter while imposing minimal discomfort to the wearer. In order to be effective, any such collection device must be leakproof even when the wearer thereof undergoes extreme body movements such as might be encountered in EVA. While collection devices in which the body wastes are collected as it is dispelled from the body and transferred to a collection vessel may be employed, such devices are generally difficult and expensive to manufacture. Moreover, such devices must be made with great care to ensure that they are leakproof.
In addition to body waste matter collecting device for use by astronauts, there are numerous other instances where it is desirable, and indeed even necessary, that there be some sort of device or fluid absorbent product which can be utilized to absorb or in some other fashion remove from the skin surface certain bodily fluids. Typical examples are baby diapers, female hygiene napkins, hospital bed pads, urine collection devices in applications where use of commodes is not feasible such as terminally ill patients, race car drivers, fighter plane pilots, etc.
2. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,180 to Karami discloses an absorbent article comprising various absorbent and wicking layers and a hydrocolloid material to absorb the fluid and keep it away from the body of the user. U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,184 to Karami discloses an absorbent pad comprising a fluid impervious backing layer, a fluid pervious facing layer, and an intermediate layer of an absorbent hydrocolloid material consisting of hydrolyzed starch-polyacrylonitrile copolymer in the acidic state combined with a basic substance. U.S. Pat. No. 3,903,889 to Torr discloses a multi-layer absorbent material incorporating an absorbent bent hydrocolloid, while U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,769 to Papajohn discloses an undergarment such as a panty or the like incorporating an absorptive portion. None of the art discussed above teaches an absorbent product suitable for use in a body waste matter collection device for a user undergoing marked physical activity.